CUTEK® Colourtones

Understanding CUTEK® Colourtones:

It’s important to understand that CUTEK® Extreme is a penetrating oil designed to enhance the natural colour and grain of wood. CUTEK® Extreme is sold as a clear oil that can be used to protect the wood from moisture and moisture related movement such as cupping, warping and splitting. Using just the clear oil will protect the wood, providing stability and structural integrity while allowing it to naturally lighten and produce a silver weathered patina over time. The soft natural lightening and silvering of the wood represents a low care option and is becoming an increasingly popular way to leave wood in weather exposed settings.

Wood projects using clear CUTEK® Extreme oil that have silvered can easily be returned back to the wood’s original colour using CUTEK® Wood Reviver and high pressure washing followed by further applications of CUTEK® Extreme.

However, if you desire to maintain the original colour of the ‘freshly oiled’ wood then you need to purchase a CUTEK® Colourtone to add to the clear CUTEK® Extreme. It is important that the Colourtone that you choose is suited to your selected wood as it should further enhance the natural colour and grain and help to maintain its “natural” colour over a longer period of time.

If you would like to alter the colour of your wood (e.g. make your wood look lighter or darker than its natural state), there are Colourtones that can help you meet your design requirements.

Always obtain a Pre-Mixed Sample to assess your colour choice before proceeding with your project.

Please note: CUTEK® is unable to offer any specific performance warranties in relation to colour retention for CUTEK® products because of many variables related to the weathering process including but not limited to: the age and porosity of the wood, species, situation, design and structure, aspect, differing exposure to the weather, method of application and adequacy of preparation.

What to expect when using CUTEK® Colourtone:

Most wood care products on the market leave a build up of material on the surface of the wood. In the short term this provides more colour, but in the long term the finish can be prone to peeling and flaking, which requires time and money to repair.

The CUTEK® system is unique as the colour is designed to fade, wear or erode slowly over time and with use, rather than peel or flake. The initial CUTEK® Colourtone intensity on new smooth wood projects only offers subtle amounts of pigment that enhance the wood. Wood that is exposed fully to the weather will lighten faster as the wood acclimatizes. A follow up application after this initial weathering period will provide much greater colour intensity as the wood becomes rougher and more open.

How to increase colour intensity on new wood:

New wood is milled smooth and often has a mill glaze which will greatly restrict the initial colour adhesion of any pigment. Better results can be achieved by creating a rougher surface and preparing the wood using CUTEK® Wood Reviver in combination with a high pressure washer. Sanding the new wood with 80 grit paper will give even better results as it removes mill glaze and creates a much rougher surface which will enable greater colour intensity. Note: The rougher the surface of the wood, the greater the colour intensity and durability. Rough sawn or heavy brushed wood profiles will take more oil and colour so much bolder colour contrast can be achieved. The amount of mill glaze if any that is present on any job can vary significantly depending on species density, and machining method used.

Note: sanded surfaces should be vacuumed or washed thoroughly to remove all loose wood and dust.

Selecting the right CUTEK® Colourtone:

Our CUTEK® Colourtone system is designed to enhance the wood colour and grain you select. With this in mind, you need to think about your original wood choice and the colour it most represents. Is it light to Golden, Brown, Red or a combination? Here are a few common examples to help you understand:

Western Red Cedar: Reddish to pinkish brown, so Rustic Gold is a nice choice.

Redwood and Mahogany: Light pinkish brown to darker reddish brown, so Terra Cotta or Autumntone will look similar on new smooth wood.

Douglas Fir: Light brown with a hint of red and/or yellow, so Espresso is a nice choice.

Eastern White Cedar: Light white to straw yellow, so Goldtone or Honeycomb will look similar on new smooth wood.

For a good idea of what a Colourtone will look like on your wood type, use our Colourtone Visualizer above.

Changing the original colour of any wood:

For horizontal walk on surfaces such as decking, we recommend you select a CUTEK® Colourtone that is the closest match to the wood you have selected, rather than attempt to change the colour. You can talk to any of our retailers for advice.

For cladding and screening, a much higher intensity of colour can be achieved which can completely change the original tone of the wood. Even very light wood coloured species can become an almost solid Black, Grey, Red, Brown or Gold if the wood surface is suitably rough and more coats or a higher pigment loading has been added.

In some circumstances you can double your CUTEK® Colourtone to achieve bolder effects on rough or brushed wood. We advise that you contact us to discuss this option in more detail as we want to ensure you have the best information possible.

NOTE: We recommend USING A CUTEK® PRE-MIXED SAMPLE to see what your chosen CUTEK® Colourtone will look like on your specific wood PRIOR to starting your project.

Stir the contents of the CUTEK® Colourtone thoroughly and add to the clear CUTEK® Extreme oil as follows:

• For 3.6L (.95gal) of CUTEK® Extreme – add 1 x 90ml (3 oz) Colourtone
• For 18.9L (5 gal) of CUTEK® Extreme – add 5 x 90ml (3 oz) Colourtones

Thoroughly stir combined mixture from the bottom of the can BEFORE AND DURING use.
Failure to do this may result in inconsistent colour.

For best results, one coat of clear CUTEK® Extreme should be applied to all faces of the wood prior to installing, with a second and third coat of Colourtoned CUTEK® Extreme applied to the top surface, after installation, once the first coat is completely dry and non-greasy.

If applying post-construction, apply two thin coats to all accessible wood surfaces, ensuring the first coat has completely penetrated/diffused (dried) before applying the second coat.

Colourtoned CUTEK® Extreme will lighten/fade faster in full weather exposed areas whereas wood in protected areas will retain colour with minimal maintenance over time.

CUTEK® Extreme is designed to gradually fade, wear, or erode over time and with use rather than peel, split or crack.  Rejuvenation of faded or worn wood coated with CUTEK® Extreme is a simple, fast and cost-effective process.

Clear or Colourtoned CUTEK® Extreme should be reapplied as frequently as necessary to retain the natural beauty and colour of the wood. Assessment of this is subjective and it is important to realize that colour durability varies widely according to many factors including the age and porosity of the wood, species, situation, exposure to the weather and how rough the wood surface is.

Typically, horizontal exterior wood surfaces exposed to full weather such as pool decks and handrails will require recoating more frequently (initially after 6-12 months), while other surfaces such as vertical rough-sawn cladding will need recoating less often.